Teacher suspended for requiring student to recite Pledge of Allegiance

SPRING HILL, Fla. – A Florida school district has suspended a teacher after requiring a fourth grade Jehovah's Witness to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Tampa Bay Times reports that Hernando County teacher Anne Daigle-McDonald twice placed the student's hand over his heart when the class recited the pledge. The paper reports the boy told his teacher about his religion.

The district says that McDonald violated a host of state education rules, professional conduct principles and the student's right to free speech and freedom of religion.

On Oct. 7, superintendent Lori Romano suspended the teacher for five days without pay.

The teacher told school officials that she was aware that the boy was a Jehovah's Witness but not that he couldn't recite the pledge.